Putting a Small Country on the Map with IT: A Recipe for the Balkans

Max Gurvits CCC Startups

Putting a Small Country on the Map with IT

A Recipe for Western Balkans

@MxGur

Let’s Have a Look at 3 Inventions

Speedometer

Zero motion point

Fastest electric car in the world

What do they have in common?

ALL are Balkan inventions!

But when we look where the money is made… !

Another former socialist republic Sciences

In 2011, Skype got acquired for USD 8.5 billion…

… exactly the size of Estonia’s budget

So how do we RINSE and REPEAT?

Keep in mind:

1.3b < 8.5b

Let’s take a look at the IT sector in the Western Balkans

Regional IT services markets

Between USD 2m and USD 35m in revenues Between 2% and 6% of GDP Employing 15,000 – 20,000 across the region Growth stagnated in 2010-2014, but slowly back in 2014-2016

Pros and Cons

Abundant tech skills Fundamental research

No product expertise No conditions for breakout success

+ _

Reason 1: Education

Reason 2: Freedom (to emigrate)

Reason 3: No Strategy

Strategy requires GOALS

Remember Japan

Look at China today

Goal: Move from Technology to Products

This means: shake off the socialist “Engineering Good, Business Bad”

Which Steps Can Region Take?

Step 1: Retain the Smart Kids

Step 2: Incentivize Specific Jobs

Step 3: Help Your Best Startups Learn

Step 4: Attract Talent to the Region

Keep in Mind, Don’t Just

To Be Able to Start With This, a Country Needs to Instill

And to Provide for Minimal

Value 1: Openness

Value 2: Sharing

Value 3: Self-improvement

Logistics 1: Brand

Logistics 2: Community

Logistics 3: Education

Don’t forget: GIVE IT TIME

And

[email protected]

@MxGur @CCCStartups

Thank you! Max Gurvits CCC Startups